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Second-Order Correlation Measurement for Single-Photon Metrology

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Abstract

The critical aspect in the field of single-photon metrology is to measure the detector efficiency with the lowest possible uncertainty and reproducibility. The developments in quantum technologies have paved the way for applications such as quantum imaging and quantum information processing, including quantum computing and quantum communications proving superior to the conventional technologies currently in use. Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors (SNSPDs) are one of the key elements in these applications and are preferred over similar devices due to their better performance parameters. The instrumentation used for characterizing single-photon detectors must be precise and reliable so that no optical event gets missed. Here, we present an optical setup based on the 2nd-order correlation measurement, developed to characterize single-photon detectors at visible to near-infrared wavelengths. Each device used in the setup has been thoroughly characterized, and their response under different operating conditions has been studied. In the setup, a few photons generated by attenuating a laser are split by a 50:50 fiber beam splitter and sent to two single-photon detectors. A correlation card measures the coincidences.

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Acknowledgements

This work was partially supported by the DST project GAP 190132 (Advanced Single Photon Detector & Establishment of Single Photon Detection Based Quantum Standard for QuEST) and CSIR Grant No. MLP 191032 for setting up of low-temperature experimental facility towards the establishment of single photon detection-based quantum metrology for optical radiation. We thank Dr.S.K.Jaiswal and Mr. Pawan for helping with the experimental setup.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, Dr.K.S.Krishnan Marg, New Delhi, 110012, India

    Anish Mahavir Bhargav, Abdul Wahid & Venu Gopal Achanta

  2. Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India

    Anish Mahavir Bhargav & Samaresh Das

  3. Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 201002, India

    Abdul Wahid & Venu Gopal Achanta

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  1. Anish Mahavir Bhargav
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Correspondence to Anish Mahavir Bhargav.

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Bhargav, A.M., Wahid, A., Das, S. et al. Second-Order Correlation Measurement for Single-Photon Metrology. MAPAN 38, 997–1003 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12647-023-00676-4

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